An Arrow In the Forge
by Tiger-Hime
Summary: CANCELLED. IN THE PROGRESS OF BEING REWRITTEN.
1. Buck Wrestler Meets Candy Manny

**Summary: Ariana's world was never normal. But her pygmy teacher informs her it's even more messed up than she thought.**

**Pairs: **Leo/OC Piper/Jason

**Notes: **Ref. to Candyman (Christina Aguliera) and Handy Manny. First fanfic in Heroes of Olympus! :D Yayness!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes of Olympus or Percy Jackson. Or Candyman by Christina Aguliera. Or Handy Manny. I do own Ariana!**

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Her world began in rural Ireland. Ariana was carried by a silver arrow to her father. Panic ensued shortly after her arrival. A problem in the company resulted in transfer to in the forgotten state of North Carolina. Years passed and she lost almost all of her Irish accent. Almost all. There was still a soft underlying of her heritage. Perhaps a slip use of 'Aye' or a slight wisp of the thickness that came with living in grassy hills across the Atlantic ocean.

Ariana had just turned fourteen. Her long, auburn hair came down to nearly the small of her back. Slightly upturned eyes were accented by thick lashes reminiscent of a doe's and their silvery-green appearance. At night they held more yellow. The paleness of her skin seemed odd to most, though it looked spectacular underneath a winter half-moon. Her figure was feminine: curvy. She was beautiful to everyone in some way. Everyone…except herself.

"Psst!"

The school jock was chasing her currently. And Ariana hated the pig.

"Ariana!"

Running her slender fingers through her hair, she gritted her teeth against his feeble attempts to get her attention. She had no intentions of acknowledging him. His bleach-blonde hair, tan skin and near black eyes did not impress her.

"C'mon, turn around!"

She snapped and whirled in her desk to glare at him. "Shut. _Up."_

"Ms. Swann, is there a problem?" asked her teacher with that creepy old woman stare. Mrs. Johansen was roughly 4' 8" and

"Yes, actually. A one Trent Dwight." She made no effort to hide her annoyance. "He is disrupting my ability to function and learn properly."

"What?"

"Mr. Dwight, to the headmaster's office."

The class laughed him out. Ariana smiled sweetly when he glowered at her. The rest of the class period was somewhat enjoyable. She loved history; they were studying Greek mythology. Finally, the end bell rang. Someone had hacked into the system and instead of a simple bell, the speakers called out The Chicken Dance. An tsunami of laughter shook the class as everyone darted out.

"Ah, Ariana. Stay please."

Someone started up snickers and Ariana swore softly. She held her books carefully, favoring a single foot as she and Mrs. Johansen were finally left alone.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I have contacted your father. He knows already."

Ariana was instantly on high-alert. This was no red flag. This was more like a neon freaking sign in swirly text (a nightmare for her dyslexia) that said, 'Something's wrong stupid!'

"Umm, knows what, ma'am?"

"You are in danger. I've smelled monster for a while now. Something about you is _wrong."_

"Thanks, that makes me feel loads better."

"I'm not kidding! You are attracting things. Things that would be better off in the depths of the Underworld." Mrs. Johansen sniffed deeply. "Your smell is odd. We must get you to Camp Half-Blood."

"What? Camp? I didn't sign-up for this!" Ariana let her hand slap back to her thigh. "What about my stuff? My brushes, my clothes, my-"

"All here. Your dad sent some over at lunchtime. The rest should be waiting at camp."

Her green eyes stung, turning greener with the tears that forced a lump in her throat to form. Why now? Why so suddenly?

"I'll explain on the way. We have to meet the pick-up squad soon." Mrs. Johansen shook hips, shimmying out of her pants. Ariana's stomach lurched.

"_Goat hooves?" _she cried, incredulous. "You're a satyr! But satyrs-"

"Protect demigods. Yeah, it's a real pain in the hindquarters. I've had to pick up kids from Hermes. And Apollo! Gods, such horrible poetry…"

"Wait, if we're going gallivanting somewhere, I need to change."

"All I've got is some shorts, tank tops and some Nikes." She held up a brush. "And this."

"It'll do. It's gonna get hot." Ariana slipped into the hall and stepped into the large, cold bathroom. Not bothering to enter a stall, she changed and brushed out her hair until it shone like copper. A sad smile tugged at her pink-glossed lips.

"Let's go! I'm not getting younger!"

She rushed to stuff her uniform and brush back in the duffle bag. Only Patrick Swann would think to pack embarrassingly short shorts and a scoop neck tank top.

"Alright. So where is this-"

A roar made the school tremble.

"Ohh boy, it's the hydra. Let's get out of here. _Window!"_

Ariana dove through the open window. A dark shape moved across the sky and Mrs. Johansen whooped. Ariana decided to head for it. She ran wildly, barely keeping up with her friendly neighborhood satyr as they darted through untouched woods. Her heart pounded erratically. On a whim, she whistled.

A white-tailed buck came tearing through the brush behind her. It slowed to run beside her and grunted in obvious meaning. Unsure, she swung on and leaned over the deer's neck. It stretched out and passed Mrs. Johansen (barely) and surged forward. Ariana gripped the buck's impressive antlers and hugged his sweaty sides with her thighs. The hydra was not happy with her progress and started to belch flame. Her ride was quickly loosing horsepower, er, deerpower as it were. She whistled and a young buck came up. Swapping rides, the older buck veered off toward the smell of water. This one was much faster.

"They teach that in North Carolina?" cried Mrs. Johansen. Before Ariana could answer, she added, "There's the pick-up team!"

"Well, let's not waste time!"

"The sent that Aphrodite girl? Cheap!"

Ariana laughed and squeezed the doe's sides with her thighs to slow her. The deer stopped in front of an impressive chariot manned by a dark haired girl with outstanding looks and a pair of mechanical pegasi. She slipped off the doe just as her teacher galloped up.

"Get us out of here, that hydra is _not _happy with us!"

"Hop in, Nora. You are..?"

"Ariana Swann."

"Piper McLean. Daughter of Aphrodite. Head of Cabin 10."

"Daughter of someone, head of nothing."

Ariana and Piper exchanged dry smiles, both taking a liking to other. Ariana clambered into the chariot, admiring the silver horses.

"Our mechanics in Hephaestus' cabin made them."

"They are certainly impressive." She gripped the side. Piper thrust a bow and a quiver at her.

"Any good with 'em?"

"The best."

"Aim for the hydra's chest."

Wasting no time, the somewhat shaken demigod knocked a bronze arrow and pulled back the string made of elk heartstring. The yew wood fit nicely in her hand.

How did she know all this?

"Here he comes!"

No time to wonder now, she thought. She aimed carefully and let her fingers gently slip from the string. The arrow ripped through the air and hit the hydra. Instead of his chest spurting blood like it should have, the three-headed creature turned to golden dust and blew away.

"I was high and right," she grumbled.

"Are you kidding? That shot was perfect! She's kidding right?"

Piper shrugged, though she, too, looked awed. Ariana lifted her gaze to the sky as the pegasi galloped through the sky on what was easily the strangest Friday ever.

"Camp, sweet, camp!"

Piper gently landed the horses on the shore of Long Island Sound. Ariana hopped over the side, landing lightly on her Nikes that were still greasy with deer sweat.

"Hey, Pipes, how did they hold up?" called a male voice. Ariana watched a Latino guy jog up and pat a silver Pegasus. Her heart squealed as soon as she saw him while her stomach decided to practice to be an Olympic gymnast. Her brain screamed at the both of them, 'You're being idiots! Stop it!'

Neither listened very well.

"Amazingly. Kept all three of us in the air. Nice work."

Mrs. Johansen kicked her left leg.

"Ow!" she cried, holding her naked, throbbing shin. "That freaking hurt!"

"I know."

She trotted off to join her satyr friends, leaving Ariana with an aching shin and brain. She cursed softly, rising. Leaning over was unadvisable in her current wardrobe.

"You alright?" Piper looked concerned. She responded, "Yeah, got kidnapped by my goat teacher, flew across half the east coast and now will have a bruise the size of Michigan. Just dandy." They both grinned again, though Ariana's was more a grimace. She glanced at the source of her stomach's training and forced a more pleasant smile.

"I'm Leo," he said, voice smooth with a bit of an accent. Definitely Hispanic. He had made an effort to tame the curly locks adorning his head in the past five seconds.

"Ariana." She cocked her head slightly. "Hephaestus kid, am I right?"

He grinned and her brain became a useless pile of gray mush. "Aren't you Little Miss Educated?"

"Since you aren't busy, Leo, take Ariana around camp. Set her up with a weapon, talk about classes and the important stuff. If you get done before dinner, set her up in Cabin 11. I'm going to find Jason."

Leo gagged mockingly. "Check sword-fighting."

"Thanks!"

Ariana watched Piper leave with a pang of sadness. It seemed all her friends left her.

"You're in luck! I give the best tours around here!" Leo was about three inches taller than her. His lopsided grin and dark brown eyes screamed juvenile delinquent. But she didn't mind. "Hop aboard the Leo Express!"

Ariana smirked and matched him step for step as they climbed the hillside. He explained how she would hone in on her skills here, find her forte and learn how to survive the real world. Leo pointed out the rock wall (spewing lava at the time), the forest where Capture the Flag took place and the horse stables. Classes consisted of swordsmanship, monster-fighting, archery (that made her listen), kayaking and others. Finally they made it to a point that overlooked the entire camp. Ariana marveled at the cabins.

"There used to be twelve, or so I hear. They were arranged in a 'U', gods on the left, goddesses on the right. With some new agreement last summer, all minor gods got cabins and they made it into an omega." There was a slightly awkward pause. "Mom or Dad?"

"What?"

"Is is your mom or dad that's Greek?"

"Oh. My mom. Dad's Irish. So am I."

"Thought I heard an accent in there."

His smile was irresistible. He reminded her of that Christina Aguilera song, 'Candyman.' She smiled back.

"So do you, but I figured it impolite to say anything."

"Yeah. Hispanic, _chicka. _Leo Valdez, at your service."

"Ariana Swann." She grinned. Something fluttered to the front of her brain. "Weren't you supposed to set me up with a weapon?"

"Oh, yeah! This way!"

He took off down the hill and Ariana followed, leaping to fly-tackle him. She would not be beaten in a race! They rolled for a while before Ariana tumbled ahead, stopping at a beat-up, old shack.

"This is the place." Leo pushed his way in, shaking off the dirt. He rummaged through some things. "I got swords, daggers, bows, shotguns…pistols? Nah. Sickles?"

"Hunting knives?" she asked hopefully.

"Mmm…yeah." Leo rose up and took the dagger from its scabbard. "Gut hook. Nice." He handed it to her, nimble fingers skittering over her palm briefly. She held it up to the light, admiration it her eyes. A little reluctantly, she sheathed it. She strapped it to her bare thigh.

"Can I see a bow? Willow, buffalo heartstring."

Leo lifted one off a hook. "This one?"

She nodded and took the near white bow. It gleamed in the waning light. She pulled back the string.

"This will work." She slung it over her back and chest. She looked at Leo, shaking out her auburn hair. "You seem pretty cool."

"You do, too, _mija." _He punched her arm lightly, and she punched back. They grinned.

A conch horn blew.

"Dinnertime!" Leo licked his lips. "You can sit with Hephaestus if you like." He winked. Did he know how _hot _he looked?

"That would be appreciated." She pushed her way out of the rickety shed and started for the pavilion. "Let's go, Handy Manny!"

Dinner was amazing. It flew by, though. Ariana fit in well with the Hephaestus kids, which saddened her because she would never sit with them. Though that thought died when she reminded herself if she were in Cabin 9, that would mean no Leo. And that would be awful.

If dinner was amazing, the campfire was epic. She'd never had that much fun. Granted the songs were corny and a little ridiculous, but the s'mores were great and she'd spent most of the time hanging out with Leo, Piper and her boyfriend, Jason. There was more than one time when Arian wished the night would never end.

Chiron, the camp director and local centaur, stomped his front hoof. The crowd settled. "We have a new member! She has yet to be claimed and we hope tonight is the night! Ariana Swann, are you present?"

Nervous, Ariana leapt nimbly through the stands, narrowly missing people's heads and hands. She stood beside Chiron.

"Goddess, look down on your child!" called Chiron. "Take pride in her existence! Give her a home among us!"

Ariana looked at Piper for help. She gave her a thumbs up. It helped only a little.

Suddenly a wind blew a cloud away from the moon. Its light consumed Ariana in a silvery glow. She was lost for a moment. When she appeared, there was a collective gasp. She was in a hunting gown, white with a gold band underneath her breasts to hug her body and prevent snags on undergrowth. Her quiver was silver and her bow oiled. The knife had been shined. Her auburn hair was braided in one long plait, gold weaved into the strands. Black gladiator sandals clad her feet. Ariana had a crescent moon necklace on.

"That can't be possible!"

"How is she here?"

"What of the oath?"

Chiron stomped his hoof. He knelt low to the ground.

"Hail Ariana Melody Swann. Daughter of Artemis, goddess of the moon, the hunt and maidenhood."

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_READ AND REVIEW!_


	2. Arts 'n' Crafts Gets Steamy

**Summary: **Leo and Ariana hit it off in class.

**Pairings: Leo/Ariana**

**Notes: **Please, don't burn me on the Mexican Tooth Fairy thing. It's a joke. It's funny. And I personally loved this chapter. :3 They so cute in the forges.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes of Olympus. Yet. And I will. o.O**

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For a moment, Ariana was confused. Why this big silence? Why was everyone looking at her funny? Sure, she was pretty hot in the new outfit, but that wasn't all of it.

Then it hit her. Mrs. Johansen's whiny old lady voice came through to her:

_Artemis took a vow for eternal maidenhood. No kids, darlings. That's right, girls, no boys. Ever._

This was bad.

A million questions ran through her mind. Did this mean she had a vow to eternal maidenhood? Would they kill her? Was it really that bad?

Chiron stamped his hoof, but it was not necessary. No one was speaking, much less breathing.

"Back to your cabins. I want all the head counselors in the Big House, _now." _He did not look happy. The centaur motioned for Ariana to follow him. It felt like she was being sent to the principal's office. Slowly and with as much dignity as she could muster, Ariana plodded after the horse-man. She couldn't even take in the grandeur of the Big House when they arrived, though she did swipe a grape or two. Anxiety gave her the munchies.

As the head counselors filed in, Ariana was relieved to see Piper. Piper, however, had a war-like grimace on her face, and her gaze was cold. She dropped her gaze as she stood absently beside Chiron. Now she knew what science projects went through.

"This is serious."

"How serious? So her mom got sick of not having guys around, can we really blame Ariana for that?" Thank the gods for Jason.

"It _was _said that Zeus gave Artemis the option to go back on her oath when she wanted," pointed out a blonde girl.

"This is true, Annabeth, but what I am concerned about is how the Hunters and the rest of the gods will take this." Chiron rubbed his face, other arm dangling by his side as he tapped nervously on his second ribcage.

"I say we send her back to her father," snarled a brutish girl. "She'll bring us nothing but trouble.

"Can it, Clarisse. We can't just turn down another demigod. Monsters will follow her just as badly as if she were a child of the Big Three. She's obviously powerful. Leaving her alone…" Annabeth spread her hands, leaving an ominous opening for interpretation.

Leo finally spoke up, "Why are you guys talking about her like she isn't right in freaking front of us?" He jerked his chin at Ariana. "What do _you _want, _señorita?"_

The entire table looked at her. They all blinked slowly and seemed icy, shut off. Ariana struggled to swallow the cotton in her throat.

"What I want is to stay. Maybe even find out why my mom lost it, why I'm even alive." It felt like her dress was suffocating her. "But if I am such a threat to the camp's safety then perhaps it is best I went home."

"You want to stay," said Chiron softly.

"Aye." She could've bitten her tongue right then. "Yes, I do."

"Then we cannot turn you away. Annabeth, take Ariana to Cabin 8. The rest of you return to your beds."

Cabin 8 was a dream, despite the gloomy meeting. The floors were polished hardwood. The walls were made out of much the same material. There were very few beds. Some appeared to have been lived in.

"The Hunters of Artemis live here when they visit. They haven't been around for a while. We hope to keep it that way." Annabeth was fiddling with the fire pit in the center of the cabin. She swore in Ancient Greek.

"Let me." Ariana struck her tinder (courtesy of her mom's makeover quiver) and lit the semi-charred wood. Annabeth smirked in admiration.

"See you around camp."

Annabeth didn't let the door hit her on the way out.

Ariana found her duffle bags laying on a bed. She unpacked her things, hanging up jeans and her newest hunting outfits (also from her mom) in the carpeted closet. She kicked off her gladiator sandals and stuck them by the door with her tennis shoes and moccasins. Careful not to wrinkle anything, she folded her shorts and tank tops, laying out one of each to wear tomorrow. Ariana admired the cherry wood furniture and sighed when she saw a laptop and flat screen. Being an only child had its perks. She gazed in amazement at the dome on the ceiling that let in moonlight and sunlight. Her heart thudded painfully slowly in the emptiness.

The bathroom was tiled with marble countertops. A simple sink and shower complemented the tiles. She laid out her brushes, toothbrush and unfolded some towels for later use. She slithered out of her new gown and into her Happy Bunny pajamas, toothbrush in mouth and face smeared with toothpaste. Finishing her dental maintenance, she hopped onto her bed.

He mattress was hand sewn, stuffed with goose down. Her mattress cover was simply elk skin. The sheets were woven silk with 'Athena' stitched into the corner. Over that was a polar bear-fur cover. Her pillow was Artic fox fur; quail feathers were stuffed inside. It was like sleeping on a cloud. A very warm cloud. And yet…

It was an awfully big space for just one.

Sighing, Ariana hung up her pictures of Ireland she had taken on a vacation over a year ago. Pictures of her and her father came next. Then she laid out her multiple eco-friendly notebooks filled with poems, short stories and (her favorite) fan fiction. Having finished putting everything away, Ariana curled up under her polar bear covers and silk sheets.

"Good-night," she whispered to herself.

The fire burned out by itself.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty!"

Ariana moaned as she struggled to hide her face from the sunlight streaming in from the dome in her cabin.

"Get up, girlie! We don't have all day! Archery's first thing on our class list…then we have nothing else together until lunch. Hey, we've got Arts 'n' Crafts together!"

"Leo?" she mumbled through a mouth full of pillow.

"No, it's the Mexican Tooth Fairy. _Hola! Como estas?" _The covers were drug from over her head. "Get up, you're gonna miss breakfast!"

Ariana kicked him away as she rose. Her hair fell over her eyes and she had to whip it out of her face.

"Whoa. Serious bed-head."

She slugged him in the arm before stomping into the bathroom and shutting the door. She locked it.

"No need to be so sour. Gods, who peed in your cornflakes?"

Despite her usual early morning hostility, she had to laugh from behind the white wood door.

"Aha! I knew she had a funny bone in one elbow."

"Shut up, Leo." She changed into shorts and a tank top, this outfit a little more covering. She slapped on sunscreen; she sprayed too much and it made her gag. Finally she brushed out her auburn hair before slinging her bow over her shoulder and tying her quiver to back. She had left the knife on last night. Stepping out of the bathroom, Ariana glowed. It might have been the sunscreen that hadn't quite dried yet. Leo didn't care. She was _so_ _fine!_

"Leo? Breakfast?"

Shoot, he'd been staring! He cussed himself out in Spanish.

"Umm…"

"Uh, I said, 'Then let's get goin' Robin Hood-ess."

"Aye. I'm hungry for haggis! Haven't had some in a while."

"Haggis?"

"Lamb heart, lung and liver with onions and spices cooked in sheep's stomach."

Leo turned green. He managed to squeak, "I'm sorry I asked."

Ariana laughed and laced up her moccasins before leaving Cabin 8. Leo shut the door behind him and chatted about random things as they started for the pavilion; she loved not being the only one with ADHD anymore. She felt a pang of sadness as she realized she would be sitting alone while she ate.

"Hey, why the long face? Let me see that pretty smile!" He forcibly pulled her lips upward and managed to distort her entire face in the process. They both laughed.

"Alright, see you in Archery."

"_Adios!"_

Ariana took a seat on the cold bench after throwing in an offering and helped herself to haggis that tasted just like her father's recipe. She had a glass of tea to go with it and pancakes. The syrup was excellent, too, not the cheap Mrs. Butterworth's full-sugar mess. But real maple syrup, likely made here. Chiron stamped his hoof and sang the morning announcements, leaving Ariana out of it thankfully. At least for a while.

"What about Artemis' kid?" someone shouted.

"Ariana will be staying with us and we pray a sign from her mother comes soon. Now, off to your classes."

As Ariana cleared her area, she noticed people staring. Well, a _lot _of people staring.

Leo came up and glanced warningly at the passer-bys. They hurried on. The mischievous light in his dark eyes came back.

"Come on." He dropped his voice. "Don't pay attention to them, A. They're just jealous."

Ariana snorted, "As if. Anyway, let's head out." She shrugged her shoulder to readjust her bow. The pair trudged up one of the many hills at Camp Half-Blood. "Thanks, Leo."

Leo smiled, "No problem."

His hand brushed hers before drawing back quickly.

Her stomach jumped into her throat. Trying to distract herself, Ariana slid her quiver around to rest just above her right hip, close to her dagger. The length of the arrows were perfect. Ariana picked out a practice shaft and nocked it.

"Where's yours?"

"Chiron provides them for the Archery flunkies." Leo picked one at random. Ariana recoiled.

"No wonder. C'mere." She rummaged for a shorter bow. The string was thicker and easier for Leo's slender fingers to grip. It had a decent draw length and would surely improve his firing. "Use this one." Before he could respond they were called back.

"Now," Chiron began, pacing behind the archers. "Aim for your targets left shoulder. This spot is usually unprotected by armor and is a weak spot. Ariana, demonstrate."

She took her stance, forming an upside down Y. Raising her bow, she pulled back, chest arching forward to give her more control. The bow steadied in her hands. She gazed down the length of the arrow and aimed. Her fingers uncurled and the arrow thudded into the target's shoulder, buried up to the fletching.

"Excellent. Now the rest of you."

Ariana watched Leo copy her stance. "Like this?" She shook her head.

"No." Leaning down and pulled his right leg tighter in. "Keep your abs strong." She pushed in on his middle. "Slow your breathing to little, rhythmic puffs." He did as she asked. "Pull back. Anchor the string on the corner of your lip. Easy." She steadied his wrists with gentle hands. "Now aim small…That's it…" Her face was almost to his. She could feel the fire that burned in his lungs. "Release the string easily as though you do not want to give it up. Aim small…"

The arrow was half an inch low.

"Miss small." She grinned. "Nice."

"Whoa! Chiron, did you see that?"

"Beautiful, Leo! That was amazing! Excellent progress, Valdez."

Leo beamed. He pumped his fist. "Oh, yeah! Who's the man?" He danced in his archer's slot. Ariana couldn't resist a slight smirk. "Thanks, A!"

"No problem. We could make an archer outta you yet, mechanic." Leo ignored this and nocked another arrow. "Hit the neck, Valdez."

Slowly, he shifted and aimed. She watched him move, change the little things that determined everything. He fired. The arrow stuck in the base of the neck. She winced. Low. Armor might cover that spot. Leo was so ecstatic she dropped the thought immediately.

" 'Cause you know I'm bad! I'm bad!"

Ariana snickered. Maybe it'd be just a little fun to knock him off his pedestal. She knocked three arrows.

"A perfect line down the abs."

She fired. The arrows spaced themselves equally in the target's abdomen.

"Called it!" She mocked Leo and pumped his fist. "Who's the archer?"

"Show off!"

He pushed her and she pushed back, baring her sharp canines in a grin. Leo smiled a warm, welcoming smile. For a moment she could've swore he was going to say something. Ariana ducked her head, hiding her eyes behind their thick lashes.

"Alright, young heroes, move to your next class!"

Stupid ADHD making time go too fast!

"Lunch, then?"

"Lunch. Catch up with you later, A."

"Bye, Leo."

He hesitated before leaving, watching Ariana gallop to the sound to go kayaking.

Kayaking was a bust. She fell in the water twice. The second time some jerk from Ares' cabin pushed her boat over which was so not fair. Monster-fighting proved a much better class. She diced up an automaton of a Fury, er, Kindly One as they were called here. She was paired with one of her cousins, Will Solace, for scouting. He was head of Apollo's cabin. They hit it off instantly and took out half the other scouts easily with their toilet-plunger arrows to "prevent injury."

The Magic Conch blew again around noontime when everyone was nice and sweaty. Everyone scrambled for the pavilion, screaming and calling for friends, brothers and sisters. While Ariana could call for neither a brother or sister, something just as good jogged into view: Leo.

"Hey! You look like you've been treating your body with horse sweat."

"Haven't been to the stables yet," she said, grinning as she struggled for breath. "Scouting kicked my butt."

"Was there this morning. Not very good at the whole ninja thing."

"Never would have guessed." Her silvery gaze locked with his darker one. _Mom, if you're there, make this work. Please. Maybe throw in a good word to Hephaestus, too? Thanks. _

"So, uh," Leo cleared his throat. "A, are you…"

"Eh, Valdez! Your plate's gonna get eaten for you!"

"After lunch, Leo. Remember, we've got A & C to hit up, too." She jogged to her table and devoured her hamburgers and hotdogs. Oh, gods, there were onion rings! Pausing only to sip her Pepsi, she inhaled half her table. It was one of the best meals ever.

The conch blew a second time, signaling the end of lunch. With her place cleared, she linked back up with Leo.

"Hey! Been a while."

"I know, right? You've gotten taller!"

Ariana punched him. "That was a low blow, Valdez!"

"You would know."

Her mouth dropped open and immediately clenched again. "Jerk."

"C'mon, we're headed to my specialty now. Time to learn from the master, _chicka." _He started for the forges. Ariana gazed at the somewhat wrecked place. It looked like a plane had crashed and they said, "Hey, what an awesome place to build the forges!"

"Alright, it's gonna get hot in here!" It was another Hephaestus kid. "Girls, tie your hair back. Guys, too, if you need to. Leo, pass out aprons."

"Right on!" Leather aprons were handed down the line. Ariana reluctantly tied hers around her waist and slipped on the too big leather gloves. Leo wore nothing expect for the tool belt he always carried.

"Don't you need to get something?"

"No, you'll get why soon." A shadow crawled over his face. She cocked her head. Something was bothering him. And it had been for a while.

"I want everyone to make something with meaning. Guys, make steel roses for your girlfriend. Girls, make necklaces. Anything. And I want you to be able to tell me or anyone why you made this!"

Ariana didn't know where to start. She knew she wanted to make a wrist guard for her left arm so her bow didn't get beat up. She could engrave it to add the sentimental value. But she didn't even know what half of these tools were called!

"Know what you're makin'?" asked Leo.

"Yeah but I don't even know where to begin!"

"Easy. Pick out your metal or stone. Gold, silver, gemstones for decoration, celestial bronze…"

"Silver. Nothing flashy."

"Okay, so heat this over a fire." Leo flipped goggles over their faces as he started a fire _in his hand._

"L-Leo?"

"Hand-me down trait from my dad." He warmed her silver. "Now mold it into what you want as it cools." She bent it into a tapering cone. Slowly it became cool enough to wear. She fit it on her wrist. It was a little loose, but as her arms bulked up it would fit her perfectly. For now she could attach an extra layer of leather on the inside. "Now, take this and weld the edges together."

"What if I slip?"

"Don't worry about that." She flicked the blow torch on and held it over the seam. Her hand shook and Leo gently laid his hand over hers, gripping it firmly. His lips hovered close to her ear and his body was mere centimeters-_millimeters_-from hers. He held her arm steady as they welded the wrist guard with dangerous precision.

"There."

Leo's hand left hers.

"Swirl the blow torch to make grooves for jewels. And heat a part and use a pick to write if you want."

Ariana watched him move to his own station and begin his work. She turned back and placed sapphires along the top of the guard where it met her hand. She did the same at the bottom. It glittered beautifully. She heated a decent portion and scrawled the Greek words for 'huntress', 'moonlight' and 'motherhood.' She smiled when it was finished and slipped it on her wrist.

"Meaning?" asked the Hephaestus guy in charge of the class.

"These three words are reminiscent of what my mother is goddess of. And the silver is for my cabin color."

"The sapphires?"

"My father's birthstone."

The "teacher" grunted and moved on. Ariana smiled at the wrist guard. Her hand still burned from the contact with Leo.

"Nice work."

"Thanks." She gazed at Leo with a shy smile passing over her lips. "What was it you were asking me earlier?"

"Are you…into that whole 'no boys' policy like your mom?" asked Leo softly, if not awkwardly. Her smile became a grin.

"Not a bit."

"Then…uh…are you…?"

Ariana ran her lips over his ear gently, whispering, "Consider me single right now, Valdez." She smiled as his whole frame heated.

"Next class!"

"See you later, Leo."

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	3. A MistSnake Eats Brains

**Summary: **Ariana and Leo step forward just before a quest knocks them back a couple miles.

**Pairings: Leo/OC**

**Notes: **This chapter kinda sucked. But I love my prophecy! :D

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Heroes of Olympus or "E.T." by Katy Perry, ergo, I do not profit! So you can't sue! And do not steal meh character/prophecy.**

* * *

Oh, gods, what was she thinking?

Ariana's fingers became entangled with her auburn hair. She had _never _been that bold with a guy. Ever. But with Leo she'd just waltzed right up to him and went, "I'm single, sweetie." She was so glad the other Hephaestus girl had called for the next class. Embarrassment continued to override her systems and she couldn't concentrate. Even the horse stables offered no relaxation. What she needed to do was talk to Leo. Yes, she decided. That was the only rational decision.

The conch blew for dinner. Ariana's stomach lurched and rolled under her tank top. A soft whimper clawed out of her throat as she spotted the son of Hephaestus coming closer. His slightly pointed ears reminded her of a Vulcan. She held back a snicker; Vulcan was Roman for Hephaestus. Wiping the grin off her face, she forced herself not to look miserable and/or terrified.

At that moment a large, quite fluffy cloud passed over the sun. Soft tendrils of light reached through tiny breaks and expanded. One such spotlight appeared to land directly on Leo. The blacksmith's tan skin glittered with beads of sweat. He grinned at her, showing all of his near perfect teeth. Those dark curls that refused to obey him hung low, weighted down with sweat; the longest locks almost touched his eyebrows. And his eyes! Those chocolate brown pools absorbed her and took her in. She fought to stay above the tide of his charm and was failing most epically.

_Mom, if you're there, help me out!_

"Hey," he said in that slightly accented voice of his. "How were the rest of your classes?"

"Not bad." Really? Trivial questions? Her stomach was in knots. "Leo…" She loved the way his name formed on her tongue. (Typical ADHD.) "Leo, about earlier…"

"The forges, earlier?"

"Yeah, I, uh…I'm usually not so bold. I don't know why I did that." His smile started to fade. "N-no! Don't take it that way! I like you. A lot. More than my mom will approve, I just…Am not good at these things." She rubbed the back of her neck and dropped her gaze to her oily moccasins.

A finger hooked under her chin and pulled her gaze up about three inches. Her troubled green eyes met just as uncertain caramel.

"Neither am I." He smiled again. This smile was warm and so freaking _hot. _(Get over the puns!) Moving quickly he pushed aside her coppery hair and nuzzled her temple. Ariana could feel his lips and they were tantalizingly close to her skin.

"Oh, Le-_o_!" sang Hephaestus' table sweetly.

They both sighed irritably.

"See you at the campfire."

"Will do."

The pair parted with obvious reluctance.

Dinner lasted entirely too long. Ariana ate slowly, snowy skin flushed the entire time as she thought of Leo's lips running over her pulsing temple. As the moon rose, so did her confidence; the moonlight worked wonders on her body, mind and mood. Her eyes turned their gray-yellow color. She wished she had a jacket. It was getting cooler.

As she shuffled toward the campfire, heat came not as a jacket, but as the fire and as Leo. His arm fell around her waist and he pulled her against him. Warmth encircled her frame inside and out.

"You need to get short," she muttered as they sat down on the hillside.

"You need to get tall," countered Leo. She nailed him in his shoulder blade. Rubbing away the blow, Leo gazed at Ariana gently while Chiron led the rest of the campers in a new song that had grown on him. Of all songs:

_"Kiss me_

_K-k-kiss me_

_Inefect me with ya love_

_And_

_Fill me with ya poison."_

Both their faces turned red and Leo's hair started to spark.

"A?"

"Hmm?"

"You look-"

The moment went sour went someone screamed, "Rachel's swaying!"

Two kids caught a red-headed girl while another sat her down on a stool. They stood back as Annabeth rose to oversee her. Chiron leaned closer, tensing. Green smoke billowed from her mouth. It took the form of a serpent and spoke in Ariana's head. She felt a nagging pain behind her eyes as it rasped:

_Child born from the arrow,_

_Across lands both dark and narrow_

_You will take fire, and kin who may seem meek_

_To find the answers that you seek._

_Uncle of sun will take thy hand_

_And guide across still-wild land._

_A mother's home awaits you there_

_To stay would mean to end the affair._

Ariana slumped onto the cold floor. Before she was sucked into dark nothingness, a thought crossed her mind: That went well.

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Yah, this was _SO NOT_ my best chapter. Flame me if you like. :D R&R.


	4. Free Wolves and Enemies

**Pairings: **Leo/OC

**Warnings: **Angst

**Notes: **This chapter was badass. Please please **_please _review **or stop reading my shit.

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Heroes of Olympus.

* * *

Leo slipped his arms under Ariana's armpits, eyes frantic as her whole body shook and twitched as though she were going through withdrawal. Whispering cries escaped her cracked lips; the Ancient Greek translated itself naturally. What he heard turned his normally warm, blazing body to near ice.

"_Will die…will die…will die…"_

Ariana kept repeating it over and over. Was she dreaming about her own death? Who will die?, he wanted to scream. When? Desperate for help of any sort, the young blacksmith raised his head and called to those willing to listen. His heart beat blocked out the chaotic state around him; he could scarcely make out his own speech pattern! The campfire had died in the disbanding of the panicked campers, thus plunging the whole stadium into darkness. Apollo's son, Will Solace, lit torches and sent magical flaming arrows whizzing about to guide people to their cabins, easing some of the stress. One such arrow positioned itself over Leo and Ariana. Will nodded to Leo, loping over with his bow on his back now.

" '_Will die_.' Do you know what that means?" he asked sharply.

Leo shook his head.

Will muttered under a hushed exhale. Long nimble fingers worked her nerves, trying to stimulate her body to bring her back from unconsciousness. Children of Apollo were expert medics and rarely needed more than their hands, voices and a few herbs.

A soft groan of protest rose from Ariana. Her fingers twitched; she pressed into Leo, seeking warmth.

"She's feverish. The oracle's spirit invaded her mind. Memories could be corrupted, she could wake up mad-"

"Mad? How mad? Mad enough to shoot us all for waking her up?"

"Not that 'mad' you dolt!" Will snarled. " _'Crazy'._ Hephaestus kids…"

Leo looked horrified. "You're saying this will break her completely?"

Will did not answer. He pulled a few simple leaves from his medicine horn and tore them away from their stems. The ripping sound made Leo wince, as the previous commotion had given him a migraine. Will squeezed the juice from the leaves into Ariana's mouth, watching the yellow liquid roll down her tongue onto the back of her throat. She made a tiny effort to swallow.

"What is that?"

"Shut up!"

Will had been grinding up the stems. He spit into the pieces, making it sticky. Dabbing his fingers into it, he smeared the paste across her forehead, making it heavier on her temples. "This will take down her fever."

After what felt like millennia, Ariana's body relaxed, temperature climbing down from its dangerous state. Leo started to thank Will.

"She's not safe yet. Come on. We'll get her back to the Big House. She needs _powerful _stuff." Will swept her up bridal style. Ariana's auburn hair hung down, shining in the light of her mother's essence; her neck was limp and her head lolled to one side. There was no obvious indication she was alive. Until she started hissing again in Ancient Greek.

"_Doesn't hurt…doesn't hurt…anymore…"_

"Son of a-! She's fading fast! _**Chiron!"**_

Will laid her down and instantly Chiron went to work. Leo was shoved out of the way as the pair worked together. The red-headed girl, Rachel, was sobbing, spitting out apologies in between hiccups. Leo paced on the porch, wringing his hands. His whole body smoked and sparks flickered on his tongue with every curse.

Hours passed with no word. He sat down; his elbows rested on his knees, face buried in his hands. In that single moment he looked older, grayer, as though he had aged twenty years in one second.

Hooves clopped and Leo lifted his head. Chiron nodded to him, but his eyes, like Leo's, were tired. Fearing the worst, he led Leo into the Big House. Will was quiet. No one seemed to want to speak. Leo knelt down by Ariana's side.

"Hey…A, wake up, baby," he whispered. Her breathing was shallow.

"She hasn't moved. We suspect we may have made it worse."

Leo ignored Chiron. He lifted up, sinking into the bed while the frame creaked beneath the added weight. Ariana's lips had gone blue, her skin was even paler than before. Even her hair, which had remained beautiful throughout this ordeal, now looked as if its lifeblood had seeped away into the pillow it was currently splayed across. Her eyes were still under her lids, indicating all restlessness had fled her. Leo worked to suppress the ever-present lump in his throat. His nose turned pink, indicating tears.

"Ariana, wake up. Please." The bed whined more as he shifted his weight, leaning down to run his fingers through her hair. "Is there anything else you can do?"

Will shook his head.

Ancient Greek again passed Ariana's lips, _"I feel nothing anymore…"_

Leo cried out, yelping like a kicked dog. He touched his forehead to hers. Ancient Greek rolled easily off his tongue, mixing with Spanish. The two languages twined together into something beautifully juxtaposed. Leo's lashes were wet with tears not yet fallen.

No one had seen them come in.

One ripped Leo away from Ariana. Two more joined it when Leo attempted to pry himself from its grasp. A fourth leaned over Ariana while a number of others jerked back curtains and wrenched open windows, allowing moonlight to spill in. A strong voice spoke over her. The life seemed to slowly drip back into Ariana as the figure tapped certain points on her body and splashed her with what looked like liquid diamond. There was a long, tense silence.

Finally, Ariana whispered, "I know you."

The figure threw back its silver hood. Dark spiked hair showed. It was Jason's sister, Thalia Grace. Her icy blue eyes were murderous and accusing.

"Is it true?" she barked. "Are you Lady Artemis' daughter?"

Ariana groaned, rubbing her eyes with her fists. Thalia snatched them back and Ariana opened her eyes. Thalia gasped; the eyes of the goddess. A cry of betrayal left her pale throat.

The Hunters screamed, spitting and cursing. Their trust in the huntress had been broken. How could they have faith in her again? She had fallen for one of _them. _Now her daughter would surely do the same! Run off with this…son of _Hephaestus!_

"Enough!"

Chiron intercepted before the Hunters could attack. Leo drew a hammer from his tool belt and stood at Ariana's side.

"This is no time for fighting! This child has a Quest to complete!" he snarled.

"She is a traitor! Artemis pledged to maidenhood! This is the result!" screamed Thalia.

"If that is true, Thalia Grace, then you, your brother, Perseus Jackson and Nico DiAngelo should also never have been born!" Chiron bellowed. "The Big Three were never meant to have children! And now you _dare _wish to abolish the existence of a child of Artemis? A goddess, to whom your father gave the permission to _recant _such a pledge?" Chiron narrowed his eyes at her. "I expected more of you."

Thalia looked stunned. Leo had helped Ariana stand. She appeared stronger than before. Now, she took over the center stage.

"I did not ask for this," she spat at Thalia. "Every minute I have been here I have wished I was normal. But I can never have that. And it seems here I am not welcome either!" A dark cloud passed over the moon. Thalia's eyes grew angry as well and lightning flashed in the cloud. Dogs bayed somewhere. Ariana growled once and the dogs silenced.

"You are no friend to me, Ariana Swann. You never will be. All you are is a constant reminder that Artemis was disloyal to us and her vow." Thalia glowered and thunder clapped. "Do not seek help from us. We will not extend it."

"I don't intend to. Now if you don't mind, I have a Quest I would like to begin." Ariana lifted her chin and flexed her jaw. Three large silvery wolves slipped in and stood in front of Ariana, giving off a strange glow.

Thalia glanced around. Finally she threw her hood back on and darted out of the Big House, disappearing with her Hunters.

Ariana nodded. The wolves raced out, clearly making sure the Hunters had gone because once they had, they seemed content to invade Cabin 8. She watched them before turning back to Chiron, Leo and Will.

"What did the Oracle say to you?" asked Chiron.

Ariana repeated the words, feeling dizzy when she did. Will nodded.

"Kin is likely someone from Apollo cabin. You have no brothers or sisters?"

Ariana shook her head. "And I find it only fitting you go with me, Will. You saved my life." She flashed him a smile as cool as the surface of the moon itself.

"Fire. Me maybe?" chirped Leo. Chiron shrugged, tugging at his beard.

"That could be very well be the case."

"Or it _could _mean bringing tinder," pointed out Will.

"Shut it, Harp Boy."

"It's a _lyre! _Valdez, I will bury an arrow where the sun chariot does not travel _so help me!" _

"Ooo, I'm terrified!"

"And annoying and overbearing!"

The two quite literally snarled at each other. Will swung first.

"Yeah, _real _meek." Ariana folded her arms.

Chiron stopped the blow and stepped between them.

"_Anyway…"_ he snapped. "Lands dark and narrow could be Canada. Most of that is still wild territory."

"No," Ariana murmured. "It's Alaska. I know it. Whenever I asked my dad about going there for summer he always got defensive and skittish. That's where she's at now."

"Alaska?" cried Will. "Geez, what a road trip."

"Uncle of son…" Leo scratched his cheek. "Does Artemis have another son and your dad's his uncle?"

"No, you half-wit!" Will pegged Leo with a wooden ball he carried for good luck. "Uncle of _**sun!**_" His eyes lit up. "It means Apollo."

"So we're gonna meet up with Apollo in the Midwest and he'll take us up to Canada and into Alaska." Ariana shrugged. "Simple enough."

They stared at her. Gazes flicked around the room. All of them felt the smothering sense of destruction that had been left behind the Hunters.

"Come to my cabin, you two," she whispered. "There are things that need to be said."

Ariana tossed a bag of bones to the wolves that had taken over the spare beds. They pulled apart the rucksack, tearing into burlap and easily crunching the enormous monster bones. The pack ate in silence while Leo and Will watched their Quest leader stuff clothes into a backpack that was, without a doubt, magic. She was silent while she zipped it up. Her bow was slung across her body. She looked up, yellow eyes mysterious.

"You both need to know…" She swallowed hard, looking down briefly. "I am afraid. My father is dying right now. These are his last few months and I am risking my life to find a parent that I will likely have near nothing to do with. In the end, I may put a goddess' wrath upon you. Back out now if you do not want any part of this."

No one moved. The largest wolf hauled itself to its paws and stepped forward.

"Boys, this is Emir, the alpha male."

His amber eyes were full of intelligence and he spoke in all their minds, _It will be a pleasure to serve friends of the goddess' prodigy._

_Save it, Emir. _An elegant female wolf that was more gray than the others padded up. _I am Amira, beta female. My leader forgets to drop formalities among the newest pack brothers._

Ariana hissed in wolf-speak and they both went back to their places. "These wolves are mortal wolves with Grecian roots. As Artemis is goddess of the hunt, I speak to animals that also track their meals. And Artemis was also master of hunting dogs and the stag. You heard them now because you are demigods."

Leo shifted nervously, "So this is _totally _normal for you? What else can you do?"

"Valdez, we'll learn it all in time," snapped Will. "Just chill. At least we have help now."

Emir turned his eyes to Will, studying him for a while. _You are wise. You are much like myself. You are usually very reserved, yes?_

Will nodded.

_A-ha-ha! I like this one! _piped a rusty male twining around Leo. _He isn't so serious._

"Okay, no need to panic, Leo," he hissed. "A wild wolf is weaving around your legs like a frikin' cat. Totally cool."

_I'm Misha. You and I are a lot alike. And don't worry 'bout me. I only eat what gets on my nerves. _His tail wagged and slapped at Leo's knees.

Ariana shook her head, "Misha, fall in line. We're leaving."

He trotted back.

"Wait, wait, wait…how are we supposed to get to the Midwest?" yelped Leo.

Ariana smiled. "I'll take care of that."

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	5. Background Check

**Pairings: **Leo/OC

**Summary: **The Quest begins; Ariana's life is in the light for the first time.

**Warnings: **None

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Heroes of Olympus.

**Notes: **As always, please review or don't read my shit. And BIG thanks to Skyclaw for the crit. last chapter! This one's for you.

* * *

When Leo said he wanted a ride, this was _not _what he had had in mind.

He held on to the side of the open back chariot, knuckles white from digging his fingernails into the wood. Two bay mares kept a steady trot as they managed to hit every rock and branch on their path, making Leo even more uncomfortable. Will drove while Ariana rode a horse off to the side, keeping her large ebony mount well under control even in sidesaddle; she had changed before leaving. A formal blue tinted gown draped down past her feet which, Leo was certain, were bare. A silver head band kept her hair out of her face. Five wolves flanked each side. They'd rolled in the ashes of a fire to darken their coats. Something wasn't right with Ariana, Leo could tell. Why would she change into nice, albeit flattering, clothes before starting a trek across the country? It almost put aside his fear of falling out of the back of the chariot. Better get her to talk.

"So, uh, A," Leo started, glancing over at Will to make sure he wasn't going to try to push them out. The two were almost opposites and didn't see eye-to-eye all the time. "Give us some background?"

Ariana stiffened, tugging unintentionally on the colt's mane . He snorted and she rubbed his neck with solemn yellow eyes. His English gear was hardly discernible as the blacks were near the same shade. Her head lifted as she looked straight ahead. Her voice was wispy and didn't have the strength as it had had before: "What do you want to know?"

Leo rolled his eyes, "What is your criminal record? You aren't a serial killer _are _you?" He squinted in mock suspicion. "Anything you'll tell us, _senorita."_

Ariana sighed. "Well, my father came over to America through work. He works for a publishing company. Something happened at work and they moved us over here. I've lived in North Carolina since I was two. I've gone to quite a few schools. The last school I was at was a boarding school. My dad…couldn't take care of me anymore." A hand lifted up to her face then dropped. "So I was sent away. The duffel bag had to have been packed for a year…

"When I was eleven," she started, quickly changing the subject. Leo picked up that her father and whatever shape he was in was a sensitive subject. "We had gone to the Outer Banks, Ocracoke Island to be specific enough, and we were stuck inside during a storm. I ended up watching hunting shows all day. I told my father I wanted to hunt. He refused to take me or teach me in any way. So a friend of mine worked with me using a bow and arrow. Told me starting with a gun was too easy." A slight pause. "I was good with a bow. Really good. I've killed deer, turkey, coyote, wild hog… Anything I could shoot an arrow at.

"And the dogs. Oh, the dogs…" Ariana's hair swished as she shook her head. "We had one dog when I was four. That is the only dog I have _ever _had."

"Why?" asked Will, now drawn into the story as well.

"Why do you think?" she cried. "I could _talk _to my dog! Its why I wasn't so freaked out when Emir, Amira and Misha started speaking to me. I've been like Dr. Doolittle since I was a toddler!"

"So when dogs bark, cats meow, you understand it all? Well isn't that an eye-opener on a college application?" muttered Leo.

"Aye, my father said the same thing. 'No good can come of this.' were his exact words." Ariana sighed, accent taking a more prominent hold on her words. "My father loves me but sometimes…" She went silent, collecting the reins to slow the horse further.

"You said your father was dying…" Leo's face was shadowed, showing his seriousness. "What do you mean?"

The woods grew darker. The moon didn't seem to shine so bright any more. Even Misha stopped bouncing around.

"My father, Ian Swann, has Huntington's chorea."

"He's afraid of hunting?" asked Leo. Will punched him in the arm.

"No you idiot!" he hissed. "Huntington's is where the nervous system starts to break down. The limbs jerk around and they have random outbursts. Basically his brain is shrinking. It's also hereditary."

Leo's eyes went wider than he'd ever thought possible.

"Oh," was all he managed.

"Please, I don't want pity. They haven't tested me to see if I have it yet. The point still being, my father is at home, probably having an outburst right now, flailing around while the home nurse tries to soothe him. And I'm out here looking for a mother that wasn't supposed to have children in the first place and never stayed around!" Her shoulder shook. "I don't even want to see her. Part of me wants to find her and get away from all this, get away from seeing my father die and being a loner. But at the same time I just want to rip out her godly hair and use it for a bowstring!" Her fist hit the young Friesian's muscular shoulder and hardly fazed him.

There was a long pause while Ariana collected her thoughts. She leaned over the colt's neck and ran her fingers through his forelock, combing out tangles. A car went by on the highway they'd been following, careful to remain parallel and unseen. After ages, Ariana took a deep breath and started to speak again.

"And this entire time, I've had to take care of my dad as he's gotten worse without so much as a word of support from mother dearest. Whenever my dad hears about a new clinical trial, he jumps on it. When we get there, he gets scared and I have to put on this front. I have to be strong all the time for him. I have to tell him, everything will be fine and this one might help. All he has to do is be strong. And inside I'm crying because we've been to so many trials and none of them have helped. At this point I _am_ the front. I have no friends anymore because I don't let them in.

"_That's_ why I stood up to Thalia like I did back at camp. I put on that front I use for my dad. And I _know _that's why she kept getting angrier. It was because she couldn't see into me. Everyone around her has always melted and given her a look inside. Once I didn't give in her hate for me built even more.

"I'm so tired of being a hurricane. I never have the time to be me these days. I'm so busy being the hero I'm expected to be."

The other two stayed quiet while she choked down her sobs. The two mares had slowed to a walk at Will's pulling. One of the wolves had drifted away and let out a soft howl, something that should sound beautiful, but at the moment it could only be described as mournful.

"I want to admit something," she finally whispered hoarsely. "I still don't believe in all of this. I don't believe I should be speaking Ancient Greek. The gods make sense and all…but are they really there? I mean…there's no proof. I was an atheist before Nora, er, Ms. Johansen-"

"Her real last name is Daffodil, just so you know. She changed it at the school for obvious reasons," cut in Will gently.

"Hey, Will," hissed Leo in hushed tones. "What's an atheist?"

"You really _are_ an idiot aren't you?" Solace asked in true wonderment.

"Just shut up. I don't plan on attending _Harvard_, okay?"

"Good thing, too. An atheist is someone who doesn't believe in divine forms of any kind. They don't think we came from God or any god." Will rocked when they hit a fire break; Leo nearly toppled out of the back of the chariot with a yelp.

Ariana dropped the reins to her stud and slumped forward, clinging to his neck. She breathed in the smell of alfalfa and horse sweat.

"To be honest, Ariana," murmured Will. "I didn't believe it either. I was raised in a Catholic environment. My mom, though, met Apollo in a grocery store of all places. She kinda broke one of the rules in the Bible when she got with him and didn't marry him. I was still raised as a Catholic, though my mom was harder on me than her other kids that she had with my step-dad, Mike." He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the edge of the chariot and letting the reins dangle in one hand.

"That must have been a hard transition," commented Leo. "I never really had any sort of belief. So when you hand me something solid it's just like, 'Awesome, I'm in!.'"

Ariana threw her leg over and rode sideways, facing them with puffy amber eyes and multiple tracks where tears had held a marathon across her face. She managed a smile. "Thank you."

Will and Leo responded with matching smiles.

"So were you good in school?" asked Leo. "Let's get on a happier subject, _comprende?"_

Ariana grinned and rubbed her eyes, swinging to ride backwards. She leaned back and lay across him, mentally naming him Ricochet. She felt a little better having told someone about her frustration and fear.

"I was really good. My favorite subjects were science, history and algebra was okay after remediation." She scanned the sky for constellations, remembering that her father had taught her about them.

"Algebra in eighth grade?" Leo mused in amazement.

"Yeah. I was in the AIG program. I'm dyslexic and ADHD and I'm top of my classes. I don't know how, honestly." Ariana added, "I was supposed to take all honors classes at high school next year."

"That's awesome. What are you going to major in in college?"

"Veterinary sciences," she responded quickly. "I'm going to specialize in equines, though." She rubbed the side of her mount.

"Equines?" ventured Will.

Leo smirked, "Who's the idiot now? Horses, _mijo. Realmente eres un idiota, ¿no?"_

Will narrowed his eyes, unsure of what he said but he knew it wasn't good.

"Try to get along you two. We've got a long trip."

Emir growled softly, flicking his ears and tossing his head. Ariana merely wrinkled her nose and looked away, then back.

"Umm, English, please?" piped Leo. "Or Spanish, either will do."

"He told me that he would be leaving soon. The female that is the actual leader is back."

Leo tilted his head, moving with the chariot when Will almost threw them into a ditch. "Who would that be?"

Ariana hesitated, looking at Emir. He moved his shoulder blades and tossed his head. "A she-wolf by the name Taini." Ariana nodded to him. Emir loped away.

"Well where is she?"

"You will see her later. Right now, let's see if we can get to a clearing and set up this tent." She sat up and flipped around on her horse. Her knees squeezed his sides and he lurched forward at a canter, his hooves lost in the feathers around them. The soft ground muffled the beast's hoof beats so it seemed he was a simple apparition. Ariana's hunting gown billowed behind her; her hair flew back. Leo watched her raise her arms and lean back to face the sky, a smile spreading across her face while the wind dried the tear tracks. It was a fantastic sight. Sparks snapped in Leo's hair as his body warmed. He willed himself to cool down, though the effect was pointless when he realized that by getting her to talk, he'd set her mind at ease. It was a nice feeling to say the least.

"Guys, there's a city up here!" called Ariana. "A hotel, too. Should we stay?"

Will drove the chariot up and looked through a break in the stand of pines. The hotel looked nice enough to Leo.

"Sure. But what about-"

_We will watch the horses, _piped Amira.

Ariana nodded, sliding off of her stud. With practiced hands, she removed the saddle and placed it in the now-empty chariot. She patted his bare back, kneading parts of his spine.

"Where's the backpack? There's money in there somewhere."

Misha trotted over with it in his mouth. Will pulled out a handful of tens. "This, uh, should cover it."

"Hey, I'm usually not the serious one, but what about monsters?" piped Leo.

Ariana stiffened. Leo could see she hadn't thought that through. Worried he'd screwed something up somehow, he said, "Ya know what? We won't worry now. We're all tired. Let's hit some real sheets, hm?"

Will nodded to him, as though he were glad he'd changed his mind. He led the horses to a clearing, pulling Leo with him. "Look, watch what you say around her. I know you've got the hots for her, but you're a bit of a moron."

"Hey!" he cried.

"I'm not going to lie to you, 'cause we've got a long trip ahead of us and it won't do either of us any good to fight like we did." His blue eyes pierced him and seemed to root him to the spot. "Now, I got picked on a lot when I came here. Those stupid Hermes kids always pushed my buttons by calling me Harp boy."

"Oh," Leo squeaked.

"Yeah. So watch your words this trip and let's get it over with."

They trudged back to the slope where Ariana had stepped out of her gown into regular clothes. She stuffed it in the backpack and slung it over her shoulder. "C'mon you two."

They skidded down the slope, their tennis shoes scraping along the dry dirt. The trio proceeded to march across the parking lot, Will keeping a look out. His head snapped back and forth between every direction possible.

"Stop doing that, you're making us look suspicious!" hissed Ariana.

"Listen, let me do the looking." Leo moved into a prime position, eyes surveying the area quickly and without suspicion. "I don't see anything."

" 'Kay." Ariana stepped through the doors, gasping just enough so they heard. Ariana had obviously never been in a hotel as nice as this one.

It was a Hilton Garden Inn (for this Will worried they didn't have enough money) and it was spectacular. A glittering chandelier greeted them from above. The marble floor had been freshly waxed; the black and white swirls made Leo dizzy. A pool beckoned them in a separate room. The front desk in itself was a sight. People murmured softly as they talked over hot tea and the food laid out on a white-clothed table. Laptops were a common sight near the 'FREE WI-FI' sign. Black leather chairs dominated the left side of the lobby, while tables and chairs dominated the right.

Ariana approached the front desk where an attractive younger man stood. She cleared her throat, "Do you have any free rooms?" Her voice took on that confidence that now knew was fabricated.

"Allow me to check," he chirped, eyes roaming over her before glancing at the two boys. His fingers worked the keyboard quickly and he bit his lip while he scanned the results. "We have one two double-bed room available on the fourth floor."

"How much for a night?"

Again, he tapped the keyboard. Leo checked his nametag, 'T. Fox.' He rolled his eyes, of course, attractive and the last name 'Fox.'

"Well, for one night it's about two hundred thirty dollars."

Will gagged.

"But I can see you all are in Philadelphia for business! So I can give _you _a discount!" He winked at Ariana, eyes a very bright shade of blue. His black hair was ruffled, as though he had been chased. Leo didn't like this guy; he narrowed his eyes at him as those lightning fast fingers punched in numbers. "I can give you our presidential suite for the same price! I know you all are with the company here?"

"Uhhh…" started Will.

"Yes!" Her fist caught his gut and she smiled extra sweetly. "Yes we are."

"Then here are your keys. Floor eight. Go right on up, you little entrepreneurs!" He handed them two cards. "Just call for room service when you're ready and I will personally serve you."

"Thank you," purred Ariana, almost sprinting to the elevators. She hit the eight button, barely allowing the other two time to squeeze in. "Can you believe this?" She clutched the key tightly.

"No, I can't," muttered Will. He shared a look with Leo; they both had the same idea.

Monster.

The room was _gorgeous. _A long, brown leather chair curled around an enormous flat screen. A dining table stretched behind it. The kitchen was classy, elegant even, with everything the three could ask for. Will raced through and found the bathroom. It was large enough to hold a bathtub that looked more like a hot tub and a separate shower. There were mirrors everywhere. Will got dizzy just trying to look at himself.

Ariana squealed. The guys raced in. The bed was luxurious with a pair of double beds in a neighboring room. The view was spectacular.

"He said Philly, right?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, that's what I head," responded Will. "There's no way we got this far."

"Grecian magic can do insane things," commented Ariana as she rolled around on the king bed. "I don't know about you guys, but I am _so _ready to eat." She jumped down and headed for the kitchen, kicking her discarded tennis shoes aside as she did so. Leo looked over at Will. He nodded. The son of Hephaestus followed silently, his footfalls muffled by carpet.

"Hey, A," he said, voice muted.

"Hey, Leo." She took out an apple from a bowl of fruit on the counter. A crunch sounded, indicating the apple was healthy. Juice sprayed and caught Leo in the face. He wiped it off and Ariana apologized rapidly.

"It's cool," promised Leo with a grin. "I've been thinking', and yes, it's been hard." Leo cringed at the bad joke. He slid around the counter to bring himself closer to her. "What happens when you meet your mom and what if she asks you to stay with her?"

"Leo, can we just worry about that later?" she pleaded. She bit her apple again. "I don't want to think about her right now. Now when we're here." Slowly she swallowed the now apple-mush. Her apple was set aside while she moved to twine her arms around Leo's neck. Practiced fingers stroked along the back of his neck. Eyes interlocked, she murmured, "Have you met your dad?"

Leo swallowed, saying in hushed tones, "Yeah. He's kinda awkward around kids. Not used to 'em, ya know?"

Ariana smiled. "So they're real then? The gods?" Her arms grew weak, knowing this would defy everything she believed.

"Yeah." Leo felt her loosen. He touched his lips to her forehead. "It's a lot to take in."

Ariana's arms fell back around; her hands rested on his chest as she leaned forward to capture his lips. Her hands felt his body temperature rise beyond normal. Her eyes fluttered shut.

"Guys, oh, uh…" Will stood flustered in the doorway. The pair broke apart, not seeming to care they had been caught. "Never mind." He backed out.

The two looked at each other and laughed.

* * *

READ AND REVIEW


	6. PSA

Okay, you guys.

So first off, I'm so sorry for not updating.

Second off, upon returning, I read this story. I vomited. I am going to rewrite this story. Definitely. It is going to be so much better. You will love me. I'm going to slow it down and do some _major _tweaking. I need to fix this stuff.

Third off, since it has been deemed extremely cliche, Ariana will no longer be a child of Artemis. She will be a child of Apollo. Other major changes will come with Ariana's character to make her less Mary-Sueish.

Fourth, the new title will be _A Fox In the __Hen House _so keep an eye out for it! :3

Love you guys and thanks so much for being devoted to this story. That's why I'm going to try and make this story even better for you all. 3


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